Sunfire's Sacrifice
by Xtreme Gamer
Summary: In the midst of battle, one mistake can change both human and Pokémon forever. Oneshot.


First off, I don't own Pokémon. If I did there'd be some changes but I don't feel like going into those right now.

**Sunfire's Sacrifice**

I sat there reading today's edition of "The PokéTimes". I took one look at the first page, at the words in large, bold print at the top.

**New Pokémon Master crowned in controversial battle!**

Just the mention of that was enough to get my blood boiling. How dare they crown a new Master when nothing was decided. The battle was left unfinished. But then, I guess they needed someone to stand as their figurehead. My eyes drifted over to a photo on the desk. I picked it up and smiled. It was a photo of me and Sunfire, my Vulpix, my first Pokémon. I was so happy the day I got her. And she was just as happy to have me as her trainer. We were inseparable from that day on as we began our journey. Over the years we defeated thousands of trainers, captured hundreds of Pokémon and defeated more Gym Leaders than we can count. When we finally earned our right to compete in the Pokémon League we were beside ourselves. All of our hard work finally paid off. We would finally earn the title we so rightfully deserved.

But fate had other plans.

"Oh Sunfire...where did we go wrong?" I asked myself as the visions of our last battle replayed themselves in my mind.

_The stadium was packed for what promised to be the most heated battle of the tournament. The winner would be declared the new Pokémon Master. Both my opponent and I were down to our last Pokémon. I had Sunfire out. We both waited to see just what our opponent had in store for us._

_"I choose you, Glalie!" he said. His Glalie appeared moments later._

_"Final Round! Glalie vs. Vulpix! Begin!" The referee raised his flags, signaling the start of the battle._

_"Use your speed, Sunfire! Agility followed by Quick Attack!" My partner soon became nothing more than an orange blur as she used the combo that won us so many battles in the past. Our opponents Glalie couldn't keep up with her quick movements, quickly becoming disoriented._

_"Slow that Vulpix down with your Icy Wind!" The Glalie launched an attack that looked like a miniature Blizzard. Although Ice attacks don't damage Fire types that much, the Icy Wind attack had done what it was supposed to, slowing Sunfire down and putting an end to our combo._

_"And now Ice Beam!" An icy-cold beam shot out of a blue sphere that had formed in between Glalie's horns. I had to think fast._

_"Counter with Flamethrower!" Sunfire fired off her Flamethrower, the two attacks canceling each other out. Our opponent took this opportunity to try and launch another attack._

_"Charge in and use Crunch!" The Glalie flew forward, mouth wide open._

_"Now use Confuse Ray!" I said. As the Glalie closed in, Sunfire looked right at him, her eyes glowing blue._

_"Don't look at that Vulpix, Glalie!" But it was too late. The Glalie had his eyes locked with Sunfire's, her Confuse Ray taking effect. Glalie was soon floating around aimlessly. In his confused state, Glalie wouldn't be able to battle effectively. Thinking that, I made the next move, which would ultimately be the last of the battle._

_"Sunfire! Close in with a Quick Attack!" She obeyed and charged at the Glalie. I seriously believed that there was no way he would be able to stop us from winning. I was soon proven wrong as the Glalie turned and hit Sunfire with a devastating Headbutt. She flew into a pool that had been used for our Water Pokémon when they battled earlier. But that was only the start of the nightmare for Sunfire and I. In his confused state the Glalie used Blizzard on the pool. The water was frozen almost instantly, trapping Sunfire inside._

_"No! Sunfire!" I cried. The last thing I remembered was hearing someone call for a stop to the battle..._

The memories come to me as if this only happened yesterday. In reality, those events took place over a week ago. I turned my attention back to the newspaper and continue reading. However, the more I read the angrier I get. The fact that my opponent was declared the new Pokémon Master ate at me.

"They sure didn't waste anytime," I said in disgust. As I read on, one thing jumps out at me off the paper.

**The new Pokémon Master will be holding a press conference Tuesday at 4:00 to discuss the events of the recent Pokémon League tournament.**

I looked at the clock. 3:59.

"Well, let's see what the 'new Master' has to say." I turned on the television just in time to see Lance introducing the new Master. I frowned at the thought of the League going ahead and naming him the Master after what happened. Yet, despite my anger, I listened to what he had to say. Almost immediately various reporters threw question after question at him.

"How does it feel to be the new Pokémon Master?"

"What are your plans now?"

"Do you have any changes in store for the League?"

Typical. All they care about is what's going to happen to the League now that there's a new Master. Not a mention of anything regarding the battle.

...Or so I thought.

"How do you feel about the way you won the title?"

Now that got me interested. The rest of those idiots were only concerned with League business. However, that one was only one to ask the question that was, or should have been on everyone's mind.

"I would like to start off by saying that, although I have been named the new Pokémon Master by Lance and the other elites I in no way feel that I have deserved it."

Didn't deserve it? If I was interested before I was completely focused now. Nothing could have diverted my attention from the press conference.

"Because of what many are calling a 'freak accident', someone was seriously injured. And because of that the battle was never officially finished despite what the referee's decision was."

He was right. The battle was never finished.

"In closing I would like to say to my opponent from that day, if you ever want to finish the battle to determine the true Pokémon Master, I will be waiting..."

I turned off the television. I needed to get some fresh air. I walked outside to the backyard where many of my Pokémon were either resting or playing. I watched them. They didn't have a care in the world. How I wished that were true for me. My eyes wandered, looking at each of my Pokémon until I came across something that brought up more memories from that day. A small Vulpixwasplaying a game of Tag with my Chikorita. As I watched them play, another memory from that day entered my mind.

_"How do you feel now that the battle is over?"_

_"What's going through your mind right now?"_

_The constant questioning was starting to get to me. Why couldn't they just leave me alone? I have better things to do than to answer their dumb questions._

_"Are you aware of the League's decision about your battle?"_

_That was the last straw. If they want an answer I'll give them an answer._

_"What makes you think I give a damn about that battle now! My Pokémon could be dying in there and all you bastards can do is ask me about the battle!" Luckily for me my outburst caught them by surprise, giving me an opportunity to escape inside the Pokémon Center where they couldn't follow me. As soon as I was safely inside, I collapsed in one of the chairs. My eyes went over to the door which lead to the Intensive Care unit._

_"Please be alright, Sunfire..." I said. It had been almost an hour since the accident. Sunfire was frozen beneath the ice. It took a combined effort of my Blaziken and my opponent's Magmar to finally free her. Because she was underneath the ice for so long, her body felt as cold as the ice. Nurse Joy and her Chancy arrived shortly after to rush Sunfire the Pokémon Center. I followed them, not even listening to the calls of my opponent or the referee or anyone for that matter. All I cared about was Sunfire._

_"If only I hadn't ordered her to use that Quick Attack this wouldn't have happened..." As I sat there in a state of self-pity, Nurse Joy emerged from the door. I ran over to her, almost knocking her down in my haste._

_"How is she! How's Sunfire! Is she going to be alright!" Through my almost endless barrage of questions she kept her composure. It wasn't until I ceased my questioning that I noticed that her usual cheery demeanor had been replaced with one of depression._

_"Your Vulpix is suffering from a severe case of hypothermia." I could almost feel the color leaving my face as she said that. Hypothermia is a dangerous condition for humans, but even more so for a Pokémon. Especially a Fire Pokémon, who's sole existence is dependent on it's heat._

_H-how s-serious is it?" I asked, trying to maintain my own composure. Nurse Joy cast her gaze down to the floor._

_"Her internal fire has..." I can tell she doesn't want to tell me, but I have to know._

_"What about it! What about her internal fire!"_

_"I'm sorry to have to tell you this but...her internal fire...has been extinguished."_

_"No! It can't be! Not that! Anything but that!" I cried. Over the years I've learned that a Vulpix's internal fire not only give them the ability to use attacks such as Ember and Flamethrower, but it also keeps them alive. So far there have been no reports of a Vulpix living after it's internal fire was put out. The fact that Sunfire's was now out hit me like a herd of Rhydon. I could tell that Nurse Joy was also hit hard by this news._

_"Can...can I see her now?" My voice was void of any emotion. She motions me to the back. As I walked through the door, I could hear her crying. Crying over the fact that she couldn't save Sunfire. I almost felt like crying myself._

_I finally reached the room where Sunfire was resting. As I entered the room, I was shocked by what I saw. She was hooked up to various machines either to help her breath or to check her vitals. I walked over to her bed and sat down. As I looked at her lifeless form, I felt the tears trying to force their way out until I could no longer hold them back. There, in a place and time where I needed to be strong, I cried. I cried not for my loss, but for Sunfire's loss. In the end, she sacrificed the most to try and help me realize my dream. Our dream._

_...and yet, it wasn't enough._

_"I'm sorry, Sunfire! I'm so sorry!" I cried. In the end, we didn't have what it took that day._

As I sat there and watched the young Vulpix play, I realized what I could have done. I could have went back to the stadium. I could have defeated my opponent and became the new Pokémon Master. I could have been the one giving the press conference today.

...but would it have been worth it?

Would it have been worth the cost of one of my Pokémon? Would the life of one of my partners be worth the fame of being the new Master? One look at the young Vulpix was enough to give me the answer.

No!

I wouldn't have sacrificed my Pokémon for the sake of self-satisfaction. I wouldn't have put the desire to become a Master over the bonds I created with my Pokémon. And as I watched the Vulpix perform her first Ember attack, I realized something.

"She's just like her mother." As I watched the two, another Vulpix walked up next to me. I looked down and picked her up.

"What do you think, Sunfire?" My first Pokémon agreed as she looked at her daughter. In the end, Sunfire refused to die that day. The extinguishing of her internal fire didn't kill her. However, the loss of her internal fire brought an end to her days of battling. Now, she helps me watch over the many newborn Pokémon at our Breeding Center. And even though we've handed out hundreds of Pokémon to eager trainers already, this one felt different than all the rest. Something told me this one would succeed where Sunfire and I failed.

"She's the one." Sunfire looked up at me. I looked down at her and smiled.

"She's the one who will carry our hopes and dreams." And from that day forward, Sunfire and I never looked back. I never did give out Hope, Sunfire's daughter, to any trainer. For I felt that someday we would return to the place where Sunfire and I battled for the title of Pokémon Master.

And this time, we'll have what it takes.

Okay. There's going to be another chapter in Sunfire's point of view. Please be kind with your reviews.


End file.
